


Hearts + Minds + Mouths

by M3zzaTh3M3z



Category: Widdershins (Webcomic)
Genre: Alternate Ending, Experimental Style, F/M, First Kiss, Fluff, Getting Together
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-21
Updated: 2019-11-21
Packaged: 2021-02-18 13:08:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 907
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21511549
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/M3zzaTh3M3z/pseuds/M3zzaTh3M3z
Summary: The adventure is over. Everyone's back home safe and sound. But a certain ex-apothecary turned detective doesn't look too pleased, and Ben finds he wants to cheer her up.
Relationships: Eliza Swift/Ben Thackerey
Comments: 2
Kudos: 8





	Hearts + Minds + Mouths

**Author's Note:**

> This is set just after Witch Hunt except obviously idk how that ends!

It’s the end of  _ Witch Hunt. _ Mal is home, Harry’s back, they’ve solved whatever the hell else is going on, and everyone’s gathered around catching up in the apothecary. Except for Eliza. While everyone else chatters, Ben looks over and realises she's sat off by herself on the far side of the counter, looking pretty down. He frowns, and slips away to join her. 

They’ve been together most of the adventure, clashing at every turn but managing to work together when it counted. By now they’ve got a kind of grudging respect (and more than a little fondness) going on. He hops up next to her on the counter and comments he’d think a detective would be a bit happier about cracking her first big case, don't you? Eliza sighs and kicks her feet a bit but reluctantly explains she’s pretty bummed out she got it all wrong – Harry isn’t the witch, and she messed up other stuff too, focusing on the wrong lead, pushing too hard at the wrong times, not listening to Ben even though he knows O'Malley better… just seems like maybe she’s not cut out for this detective stuff after all, y’know?

Ben watches her for a few moments, thinking, because he knows where she is, he’s been there himself, and knows he must tread carefully to join her and show her the way back to dry land. He reminds her of all the things she got right, the things they couldn’t have done without her and her rapier quick-sharp mind, finishing with a reminder of how she  _ nearly _ bested him in their first argument. That finally gets a reaction. She huffs, and retorts there was no  _ nearly _ about it, she’d have left him in the dust if they hadn’t been interrupted, and Ben says, nonsense, and now they’re arguing again, words flying back and forth until they end up face to face again and there’s a long moment of tension.

They both snicker and look away, still smiling. They know they’re being ridiculous. They know they love it.

When Ben looks back to Eliza he’s surprised to find her watching him. Unguarded for once, she’s kind of fond and kind of admiring and really very soft. He realises he probably looks the same way. He’s not used to looks like that, but their eyes meet and neither looks away and Ben’s a lot of things but brave most of all. You don’t need anything to be brave except an _I want_ and he really does, so he starts to ask something like um, when we’re done here do you maybe want to - yeah she says and they’re closer now, caught in each other. His lips part, ready to reply, but they both tilt their heads in the exact same way and that breath meant for words becomes a slow and chaste and _oh so_ _sweet_ kiss, which is probably better anyway.

It lasts a second. They both pull back and stare at each other in shock. A beat. They go again, properly this time. Ben doesn’t know what he’s doing but finds himself cupping Eliza’s cheek which seems to work, and her hands are tangling in his hair which, uh,  _ definitely _ works (even if he’ll have to brush it out later) and their hearts and minds and mouths are together, which is the important thing. It’s not quite everything but it’s certainly a lot and it’s not too long before they break apart again, grinning, half-laughing, more than a little dazed. 

Ben’s the first to try gather himself. Well, he starts to say, adjusting his glasses because Eliza’s enthusiastic but not exactly cautious, that was… and Eliza nods in agreement, sure was, ever done that before? Not really? No worries, me neither, but guess it  _ is _ a detective’s job to investigate strange new things, right? I’m afraid it looks like we gotta try again, it’s basically the  _ law _ , and she’s really winding Ben up, laughing as he blushes, and he’s laughing too except he’s trying to act serious, rolling his eyes like if you’re going to be ridiculous I shan’t aid your investigations any further – they’re over-tired, over-excited, giddy with it all – do you want me to tell the Captain you’re obstructing investigations  _ again _ ? – the day is saved, loved ones are home, arguments were won with actual logic for once – do  _ you _ want  _ me _ to tell the Captain you were investigating her sister behind her back? – they’re getting close again, eyes locked on each other’s lips, minds playing more than one game of back and forth –  _ technically _ I was investigating the  _ Witch _ – and they probably would have gone right back to it except Wolfe finally notices they’re absent from the fold and calls out to them, waving them back over. 

Eliza hops down from her perch and offers Ben her hand to help him down. It’s very patronising and irritating because its not that high, but he takes it anyway because, um, personal reasons, and they maybe take a moment longer than needed to let go because again, um, yes, personal reasons, mind your own business thank you. And they exchange a little look and smile at what they know, for the moment at least, is their little secret, and go to join the others again. Everything isn’t as it should be, not quite, but its better than it was yesterday, and they know tomorrow could be even better yet. That’s enough. 

**Author's Note:**

> This started as me just sketching out for myself how I'd do this scene, but it was pointed out I was halfway to a scene already so with some polishing here we are! I love these two, very glad I now have a legit reason to write for them after shipping it since the beginning of HK :') Thanks for reading, let me know what you thought! And remember to send out good benliza vibes ;) <3


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